noj 365 Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 A little update. After looking through the American NC forum, I found quite a long discussion about spark plugs for our bikes, (couldn't find anything on this site). The firm favourite replacement plug is the NGK BKR6E. The specs are almost identical, the only difference is the gap, 1.01 on the IFR6G-11K and 0.08 on the BKR6E. Price for the IFR6G-11K, £19.00 each, the BKR6E, fiver each. One is obviously iridium, tother isn't. The specs I got for the plugs? NGK. So I'm going to try these new plugs, IF the bike runs fine, then I can assume it was a plug causing the issue, if not, I've only wasted a tenner. Link to post
poldark 1,529 Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Interesting but given Honda install Iridium as OEM it'd be very strange that they would cause ongoing issues I think Link to post
DaveM59 1,605 Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Iridium plugs don't need regapping, use them out of the box. If you have tried to re-gap, then that may be your problem. Link to post
noj 365 Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 27 minutes ago, poldark said: Interesting but given Honda install Iridium as OEM it'd be very strange that they would cause ongoing issues I think Indeed, and my thoughts aswell, having tested the plugs using the ohm setting, I'm getting 4650 ohm from one plug, and 5300 ohm from tother. The reading should be 6000, so that indicates a fault within the plugs, if I'm wrong, then please chirp in. Link to post
noj 365 Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 (edited) 11 minutes ago, DaveM59 said: Iridium plugs don't need regapping, use them out of the box. If you have tried to re-gap, then that may be your problem. The original plugs are what they should be, 1.01mm, I've not altered them. It's the replacement non iridium plugs that are 0.80 mmer out of the box so I just opened them up slightly. Edited August 3, 2022 by noj Link to post
noj 365 Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Well, the new plugs are in the bike, first dab on a starter button and the engine exploded!!..........no it didn't, it fired up and after come off choke, well you know what I mean, it was ticking over smoothly, well for a two potter anyway. 1 Link to post
noj 365 Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 (edited) Just been out on it, bout 8 miles, fine for almost 8 miles but had to excelerate past miss Daisy and it dropped a cylinder, bugger. Once I wound the throttle forward, it was fine again. I'll Check the colour of the plugs when it's cooled down Edited August 3, 2022 by noj Link to post
fred_jb 10,265 Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 31 minutes ago, noj said: Just been out on it, bout 8 miles, fine for almost 8 miles but had to excelerate past miss Daisy and it dropped a cylinder, bugger. Once I wound the throttle forward, it was fine again. I'll Check the colour of the plugs when it's cooled down Sounds a lot like a failing coil, or plug lead - I had similar symptoms on my son's car until I replaced the coil pack. Could be that the HT leads are integral with the coil and not replaceable, but you could probably get a coil cheaply secondhand from a breaker via fleabay to try out. 3 Link to post
MatBin 5,100 Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 One of my BMW bikes ran perfectly until it got up to temperature then it started misfiring under acceleration. Dealer said the coils heat up and then the outer surface cracks open slightly allowing the spark to track, replaced the coils and all was fine. 2 Link to post
noj 365 Posted September 7, 2022 Share Posted September 7, 2022 Ok chaps, an overdue update. Last week I decided to check the valve clearance, 11,985 miles seems early but non the less I though why not. They were a bit tight but not overly so adjusted them to spec. All put back together and coolant topped up. Still no change, running bad, I could not blip the throttle without the engine trying to jump out of theframe. I'm not going to bore you with the details but I rang an old guy who has worked on motor cycles for many many years. I fully explained what was going on and told him what I had attempted to do. The next thing he said quite supprised me. He said, "I guess you are using E10 petrol " I said yip, he then said ok, but either try the super unleaded, the expensive stuff, or put an additive in yer tank. I have a full tank so decided to try the snake oil, if it didn't work it's only a tenner. So I got what he recommended. Liqui Moly Petrol Stabiliser. He advised me to put double the dose recommended so it would kind of purge the system. I thought, well, if it didn't work at least it can't do any harm. So I got some, put some in and shook the bike side to side and fired it up, it still ran a bit lumpy so decided to go make a brew and a bacon butty, brown sauce of course. 15mins later, checked the bike and it seemed to sound better. Now for the throttle blip test, I was expecting the same sound of the engine trying to escape and commit self destruct mode, but it didn't, it revved sweet as a well oiled sowing machine, I was still a bit dubious and decided to don my motorcycle gear and drag it out of the garage. Start bike, kick stand up, select D, clunk , first gear and wound the throttle open. Within a hundred yards I KNEW things were vastly improved. Infact, I thought "I've got my old friend back again " she was responsive, loads of torque again and no cylinder drop. Last weekend, Sunday, my good lady wife on her 500 rebel decided to go out and over a hundred miles later the NC was still running like new. SO, what has changed? Have i found the the magic snake oil? Did the valve service do anything? Have I accidentally cured something shoving wires and such around while removing the rad and pipes? I don't honestly know, all I know is at the moment, the bike is performing as it should and I'm so relieved. Discuss. Link to post
jeremyr62 2,574 Posted September 8, 2022 Share Posted September 8, 2022 Be surprised if that's the root cause but if it works, crack on. 1 Link to post
Slowboy 20,541 Posted September 8, 2022 Share Posted September 8, 2022 I’ve run all my bikes on E10, even the old carburettor fed ones. Never noticed any difference, they all ran fine. I’ve even tried E5 in some and the only difference I noticed was the wallet level going down quicker😂😂 Call me insensitive 😂 1 Link to post
Andy m 23,600 Posted September 8, 2022 Share Posted September 8, 2022 (edited) Try it again from cold. I still suspect the coil. Letting it get hot can restore function for a while. The only problems E10 causes with FI bikes is rotting plastic fuel tanks and rough running if the petrol is months old. Carbs can need setting for it and without guidance on a starting point it's easier just to buy the E0. My CL350 doesn't like E10 in its current state of tune, so I'll run ESSO until I get everything else right then come back to the E10 tune. Andy Edited September 8, 2022 by Andy m 1 Link to post
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